United States v. Banks

MEMORANDUM DECISION

CHIN, District Judge.

On October 12, 1999, defendant Robert Banks was driving a mini-van when he was arrested by members of the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force (the “Task Force”) pursuant to an arrest warrant. The officers did not have a search warrant for the van, but they eventually conducted an “inventory” search of the vehicle. They discovered a compartment hidden in the floor of the van containing heroin, a loaded .45 caliber handgun, and other contraband.

Banks moves to suppress the evidence recovered from the search of his van on the grounds that the search…